# How to check a payment for fraud before you send it

Before you send a payment, check for a new or changed bank account, a rush request, a sender address that is slightly off and an amount above normal. Confirm any change by phone on a number you already hold.

Free tool: [Payment fraud risk check](https://www.pulsify.tech/free-tools/payment-fraud-risk-check/). Answer five questions about how payments get approved in your business to see how exposed you are to payment redirection fraud.

## Why it matters

Business email compromise and false billing scams are common. The only warning sign may be a new bank account.

A two minute check before release is cheaper than trying to recover money from a bank after it has left.

## The steps

1. **Compare the bank details.** Check the BSB and account number against the last payment to that supplier. Any change stops the payment until it is confirmed.
2. **Call the supplier.** Phone a number you already hold, not one in the email. Ask them to confirm the new details and the invoice.
3. **Check the sender.** Look at the full email address. A swapped letter or a different domain is a warning sign.
4. **Check for pressure.** Urgency, secrecy or a request from a director to skip the normal steps are warning signs.
5. **Check the invoice.** Does it match a purchase order or a delivery? Is the ABN valid and registered for GST? Is the invoice number in sequence?
6. **Check the amount.** Compare with the supplier's usual invoices. A big jump or a round number is worth a second look.
7. **Use two people.** The person who enters the payment is not the person who releases it. Record who checked.
8. **Report a scam fast.** If money has gone, call your bank straight away. Then report the scam to Scamwatch and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

## The Pulsify way

1. Pulsify flags changed bank details against the supplier's past invoices and the supplier record in your accounting system, such as a Xero or MYOB contact.
2. It checks the supplier ABN and flags one that is invalid or not registered for GST.
3. It checks every invoice for a possible duplicate and asks for confirmation before approval.

Pulsify never moves money. The phone call to the supplier is still yours to make.

## Worked example

Example Builders Pty Ltd gets an invoice from Example Timber for A$18,700 with new bank details.

| Check | Finding | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bank details | Different from the last 6 payments | Hold the payment |
| Sender address | examp1e-timber.com instead of example-timber.com | Do not reply to the email |
| Pressure | Asks for payment today | Treat as a warning |
| Phone check | Supplier says they have not changed banks | Report the scam |

All four checks fail. The payment does not go out and the invoice is reported as a scam. Paying it would have cost A$18,700.

## Common mistakes

- Calling the number printed on the suspicious email.
- Letting a director override the checks.
- Checking only first-time suppliers.
- Not recording who confirmed the change.

## Common questions

### What is business email compromise?

A scammer takes over or copies a supplier's email and sends new bank details. The invoice looks real.

### Can I get the money back?

Sometimes, if you tell your bank immediately. The chance falls fast with time.

### Is a valid ABN proof that an invoice is real?

No. Scammers copy real ABNs. Check the bank details too.

## Next step

Use the [Payment fraud risk check](https://www.pulsify.tech/free-tools/payment-fraud-risk-check/) first. Then see [Pulsify fraud prevention](https://www.pulsify.tech/fraud-prevention/).

Source: https://www.pulsify.tech/how-to/check-a-payment-for-fraud-before-you-send-it/ (last checked 2026-10-20)